…… Insists on National Assembly reconvening
All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, of recruiting thugs to attack senators belonging to the party.
Spokesman of the APC, Mr. Yekini Nabena, described the alleged recruitment of thugs as “PDP’s desperate bid to ensure that Dr. Bukola Saraki clings to the position of Senate President”.
This is as he reiterated the call for the National Assembly to reconvene to consider President Muhammadu Buhari’s request for the approval of INEC’s budget.
National Chairman of the APC, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole has insisted on Saraki’s impeachment, saying he should have stepped down as Senate President, following his defection to the main opposition party.
In response, Saraki has criticised the APC’s chairman frequent calls for his removal, saying, only a two-third majority of elected senators can impeach him.
Nabena in a statement sent to Frontline News Online on Wednesday, called on security agents to protect APC Senators.
According to the APC spokesman, Saraki’s decision not to reconvene the National Assembly done with the support of the Speaker, House of Representatives, Rep. Yakubu Dogara further buttresses the party’s position the Saraki is pursuing his “selfish interests over National interest”.
The statement read in part: “If any Senator is harmed, the PDP and Saraki should be held directly responsible. We call on security agencies to also closely monitor the activities of some PDP leaders including Saraki because the plan to attack APC Senators is real and imminent.
“We were informed that the plot was hatched in the private residence of a PDP leader in Maitama-Abuja on Sunday night. The meeting was attended by 15 pro-Saraki Senators including the Senate President himself.
“We learnt that the PDP expressed worry over the APC’s Senate majority and considered several options to stop the APC from taking over the Senate leadership among which is attacking some APC Senators to ensure their inability to attend legislative sittings.
“The PDP have recruited thugs for this purpose, we have now learnt.
“During Sunday’s meeting, the PDP Senators planned several types of attack, one of which is to lure some of them (APC Senators) out at night in the guise of inviting Senators to a political settlement meeting and thereafter instigate a violent confrontation during the meeting and unleash standby PDP thugs on APC Senators” Our source privy to the meeting informed us.
“This revelation has not come to us as a surprise because the Senate President through proxies has made several failed attempts to buy over APC Senators with N100million each.
“As a Party, we don’t believe in inducing lawmakers to achieve our legitimate goal of removing Saraki as Senate President. We will get the support of some PDP Senators to get the required 2/3 vote and impeach Saraki.
“We are already talking to some of PDP Senators who believe and support the direction of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to achieve our legitimate goal.
“We reiterate our call for Saraki’s immediate resignation as Senate President. He cannot lead the APC majority Senate. But if he fails to resign honourably, we will impeach him. The PDP’s propaganda and threat of violence cannot save him”, Nabena further stated.
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